Stage 4

Literature Review

Reading systematically and organising what you read into an argument rather than a list.

Reading with a system

Keep a reading log with the citation, the author's claim, the method used, and your comment. A structured log makes the review far easier to write and prevents accidental omission of sources.

Group sources by theme or by position taken, not by author. A thematic review shows the state of the debate; an author-by-author summary does not.